Ontario International welcomes 4.5 million airline passengers in 2021

Nearly 4.5 million airline passengers travelled through Ontario International Airport (ONT) in 2021, a remarkable feat compared with medium and large-size airports amid the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. The number of ONT customers last year was 77 per cent greater than 2020 passenger volume and 80 per cent of 2019’s total.

At the same time, ONT continued to be a hub for commerce as cargo shipments remained strong at more than 890,000 tons, a decline of just 3.7 per cent from 2020 when e-commerce demand was at its peak, and 14 per cent higher than 2019.

Alan D. Wapner, President of the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA) Board of Commissioners commented: “We saw encouraging signs of recovery in 2021 as demand for air travel neared pre-pandemic levels, and we look forward to welcoming more travellers as public health authorities continue efforts to slow the spread of coronavirus variants and airline passengers resume more normal travel patterns.”

During the month of December 2021, passenger traffic which totaled more than 467,000 was 145 per cent higher than December 2020 and 90 per cent of the volume in the same month in 2019, which are remarkable results given the number of flights cancelled globally due to the spread of the Omicron variant.

Credit: Ontario International Airport (ONT)

Wapner was bullish about ONT’s role as a leading hub for e-commerce in 2021, which experienced a double-digit increase in shipment volume over 2019 on a year-to-date basis.

“Our air freight partners continued to rely on Ontario International as a focal point in the distribution of consumer goods in Southern California,” added Wapner. “Our expansive, modern facilities remain attractive to our tenants and are a great public asset for the region.”

The Inland Empire airport recorded 97,500 tonnes of freight and mail in December 2021, roughly equal to the same month in 2020 and 9.5 per cent higher than December 2019.

Credit: Ontario International Airport (ONT)